Pitch classifications provided by the Gameday Algorithm and may be inaccurate. Pitch Type LWTS correspond to how many runs were likely to score on a particular pitch based on average run expectancy when each pitch was thrown and what happened as a result. Negative scores indicate more effective pitches.

Time to Plate is the time, in seconds, that it takes an average pitch of this type to reach the plate. This is strongly correlated with velocity, but also factors in movement.

Pitch classifications provided by the Gameday Algorithm and may be inaccurate.

Pitch Type LWTS correspond to how many runs were likely to score on a particular pitch based on average run expectancy when each pitch was thrown and what happened as a result. Negative scores indicate more effective pitches.

Time to Plate is the time, in seconds, that it takes an average pitch of this type to reach the plate. This is strongly correlated with velocity, but also factors in movement.

“Obviously [Tuesday] night he was awesome and he’s had days like that this year where he’s been unbelievable,” hitting coach Greg Walker said. “To me, the only issue so far this year is Carlos being late with the foot down, and we kind of corrected that a week, 10 days ago. Other than having a sore knee one day, he’s really been good ever since.”

Essentially, Walker has worked with Quentin to refine the timing of his swing. If Quentin can stride and get his foot down before the ball arrives, he is in a better position to cover the strike zone. His most impressive home run Tuesday came when he reached out across the plate and slugged a 400-foot-plus shot just inside the foul pole in right field.

“Going the other way is always a good sign for any hitter, especially being able to hit the ball in the gap and drive the ball,” Quentin said. “My push is to always stay up the middle and to the right side and to accomplish that, that’s something good.”

May 23, 2011

Thornton has modified his slider, going back to a harder, true 88-91 mph slider as opposed to the slower, more curvy second pitch he used to throw. He got a big strikeout with it against Oakland’s David DeJesus,, but his bread-and-butter pitch is still a 96-97 mph fastball.”It has a late cut when it’s right,” Thornton said. “Just a touch of cut where I get jams and broken bats. Hitters see a fastball coming in and they’re geared up for a mid-90s fastball and it cuts at the end. It’s a pretty tough pitch to handle.”

In order to compensate for the loss of a middle reliever, one of the starters will be available in relief during the middle of their extended break. The exclusions to that possible role are Mark Buehrle and Gavin Floyd.

The six-man rotation will give the starters some relief since the Sox embark on a stretch of playing on 20 consecutive days without a scheduled day off starting Friday, and Guillen wants to ensure the health of Buehrle and Floyd through the entire season.

Manager Ozzie Guillen said he sees no reason not to stay with a six-man rotation if it works past the 20-day experimentation period that began with Phil Humber’s start against the Athletics on Friday night.

“If we like what we see, of course we’ll keep it at six,’’ Guillen said when asked if he can envision it in place deep into the summer. “Yes. Because I don’t see no reason to change it.’’

Santos wasn’t used Sunday the way a closer would normally be handled. When on the road in extra innings, teams typically save closers in case they take the lead and need to shut down the victory in the bottom of the inning. …

“[If I did,] all of a sudden, I have to stick with him,” Guillen said. “All of a sudden you don’t see him in the ninth and it’s, ‘What happened here? You said he was going to be the closer.’ When you are there, close the game. I think it’s too early to say this is the guy we are going to use. We’re not save that many games. But every time he’s there, he does the job. I hope he just wait a little bit for what’s going on and then we do something or tell him.”

Humber credited Cooper with helping him add a slider to his repertoire during spring training.

‘‘[Before] I was fastball, curve, change,’’ Humber said. ‘‘The slider takes a lot of pressure off my other breaking ball because it gives hitters something else to think about.’’

Humber has been using his slider early in counts and throwing the curve as his put-away pitch.

and

Right-hander Jesse Crain tinkered with a split-fingered grip on his changeup last year in Minnesota, refined it in spring training and has mastered it this season.

The pitch looks like a fastball, then sinks late.

‘‘It’s been good, something else to keeps hitters off balance,’’ said Crain, who also throws a good curve and plus-fastball. ‘‘It’s slower [around 83 mph], it kind of fades into a righty and fades away from a lefty. Got some jams from righties and swings and misses and rollovers from lefties.’’

April 16, 2011

The heat maps Baseball Analytics produces give a nice view of how pitchers and batters adjust to each other. Alexei Ramirez provides a good example of this in 2011. During his first three years in the majors, pitchers tended to avoid the inside part of the plate against him, but used most of the strike zone: …

February 3, 2011

A contract extension has been reached between the White Sox and [Alexei] Ramirez for four years, $32.5 million, with a $10 million option for the fifth year. The new deal was officially announced Thursday.

The White Sox picked up the 2011 option on Ramirez’s contract in early December, giving Ramirez a base salary of $2.75 million, after he opted out of the final year of his four-year deal that would have paid him $1.1 million.

The Chicago White Sox and Silver Slugger Award-winning shortstop Alexei Ramirez have agreed to terms on a four-year, $32.5-million contract extension which includes a club option for the 2016 season.Under terms of the deal, Ramirez will receive $5 million in 2012, $7 million in 2013, $9.5 million in 2014 and $10 million in 2015. The club holds a $10-million option for 2016, which includes a $1-million buyout. Ramirez still will earn a base salary of $2.75 million in 2011 as per the terms of the original four-year contract he signed with the White Sox on January 22, 2008.

A star in the field and a gentleman in life, the White Sox were convinced they could not part with Alexei Ramirez and so tied to their destination for four years and $ 32.5 million. This new agreement makes the Cuban player with the biggest contract of all those who came to the majors after playing several seasons in the National Series. Ramirez’s new contract includes a club option for a fifth season for $ 10 million, to become valid, ensure as Cuban-experienced player in baseball on the island, with the highest paid contract in history.

If Alexei’s new contract replaces this year’s $2.75 option, then it covers this year, the two arbitration years (2012 & 2013), and one year of Free Agency (2014). If the new contract starts next year, then it covers the two arbitration years (2012 & 2013), and two years of Free Agency (2014 & 2015).

UPDATE: Dave van Dyck says the new contract starts with this year. So, if D.V. Dyck is correct, the contract covers this year, two arbitration years (2012 & 2013), and one year of Free Agency (2014).

UPDATE #2: Brent Ballantini tweets that the $10 million option is for 2016. That would mean the new contract starts next year. If Ballantini is correct, the contract covers two arbitration years (2012 & 2013), and two years of Free Agency (2014 & 2015). Ballantini, also, reminds us that Alexei’s value over his first 3 years with the Sox was $29.6 million; $15.2 million in 2010 alone (Fangraphs).

NEW: A source Monday night told me the extension doesn’t kick in until 2012, which is good news for the Sox. And while details on the new deal are still being ironed out, Ramirez is going to make $2.75 million this season.

January 13, 2011

Ramirez, in particular, was noticeably different. Beckham said the svelte shortstop, who hit 18 home runs last season and had a .431 slugging percentage a year ago, added even more muscle.

“He looks to have gained muscle and it’s pretty exciting,” Beckham said. “I think some guys have hit more than I have (this offseason) but everybody is ready and excited and that’s important. When you have guys that are prepared and exited that’s a good combination.”

December 2, 2010

The White Sox didn’t take long to exercise their 2011 club option on Alexei Ramirez, making the decision official Thursday concerning their Silver Slugger Award winner at shortstop.

Ramirez will earn a base salary of $2.75 million, after he opted out of the final year of his four-year deal that would have paid him $1.1 million. The White Sox could have let Ramirez go to arbitration and had until Dec. 15 to make this particular call.

As the coals in the hot stove are just beginning to get stoked up, it’s time to rank the current Chicago White Sox, in order of importance for 2011 and beyond. It’s not intended to be a strict list of merely the best players, or best values, on the White Sox. Rather, it takes into account team depth, the free agent market, or answering the question of which player would hurt the most not being on the team? …

… 1. Chris Sale, P

Sale is not the best White Sox player — yet. But in just 21 games last season, he established himself as a potential superstar. He’s the most important White Sox player in 2011 because of his flexibility — he’s a potential starter, setup man, or closer. Talk about a “Sale” — the 21-year-old lefty will fill a crucial slot on the team for peanuts, and for a guy who provided $2.6 million in value (estimated salary values all via FanGraphs) in just his short stint with the club last season, the value of this Sale is immeasurable.